Combined coasters and card holders



Nov. 30, 1965 J. D. MILNE COMBINED COASTERS AND CARD HOLDERS Filed June 5, 1964 United States Patent Oflice 3,220,684 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 3,220,684 COMBINED CQASTERS AND CARD HOLDERS John D. Milne, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (25 Bridesburg Drive, Apt. 208, Weston, Ontario, Canada) Filed June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 372,799 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-346.1)

My invention relates to shallow receptacles known as coasters, and employed for seating glasses in which beverages are served. Moisture usually drains from a glass filled with a cold beverage, and placing such a glass on a polished piece of furniture or a tablecloth forms a wet spot or ring which may be difficult to eradicate. A coaster therefore offers protection in this respect, since it is dry on the under side; and the upper side usually has surface projections to raise the glass clear of such liquid as may accumulate in the coaster.

Coasters designed for use as just described are constructed in one piece, and either of non-corrosive metal or opaque plastic material; and they may be pressed or stamped with an ornamental design or reading matter of any description. A supply of coasters so constituted may be considered as permanent or attractive in a home, or in an establishment whose advertising is borne by the coasters, and is desirable as a constant reminder to patrons. However, different subjects, such as reading or advertising matter desired to be borne by coasters, require changing the mold or die for producing them, so that coasters become either a product made with a given pattern for general distribution, or are made to order as designated. Where coasters bearing advertising matter are supplied in considerable numbers to patrons of barrooms, restaurants or night clubs, it may be of advantage to make a change in the advertising matter from time to time, or to make this privilege available to different advertisers on a time or contract basis. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a coaster which receives an independent and changeable insert hearing the ornamental, reading or advertising material.

A further object is to design the improved coaster in a manner to protect the aforesaid insert from contact by moisture or liquid accumulating in the coaster while it is in use.

Another object is to construct the coaster of transparent material and with a facility retaining a card on the under side, so that ornamental, reading or advertising material on the upper face of the card becomes easily visible through the top of the coaster while it is handled, stored or in readiness to receive a beverage glass.

An additional object is to construct the coaster with a set of corner receptacles on the under side which are suitable for the insertion and retention of the card mentioned in the previous paragraph.

An important object is to design the coaster in one piece, while including glass-raising and card-retaining facilities.

A better understanding of the invention may be gained by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the improved coaster;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of its longer side, partly in section;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view, showing a card retained in the coaster;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 44 of FIG. 1, with the middle portion broken away; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of FIG; 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, the coaster is mainly indicated by the numeral 10, being a light plate of transparent plastic material with a rising circular wall 12. The coaster is thus in the form of a shallowtray; and spaced ribs 13 rise from its bottom for supporting a beverage glass in a position to provide a clearance under the same.

The bottom of the coaster extends with end-portions 15 on opposite sides, such end-portions being chamfered at the corners as indicated at 15a. Corner tabs 17 extend from the end portions 15 to fill out the corners, but at a lower level; and the tabs 17 are molded with, or sealed to the end portions 15 by stems 17a extended underneath the sides of the end portions as indicated in FIG. 1.

The tabs 17 are sunken from the outer sides to define rim sections 17b and create an entrance slit from the under side of each end portion 15 to the sunken upper face of the corresponding tab 17.

It is now apparent that the corner tabs 17 serve as feet to raise the coaster 10 slightly from the surface on which it is placed. A clearance is thus afforded underneath the coaster for the accommodation of a card 19, whose corners 19a are retained to the coaster by passing them through the correspondingly-located slits 17c to rest in the open receptacles formed by the corner tabs 17. Finely-dotted lines in FIG. 5 indicate the level at which the card 19 is positioned for the accommodation of its corner portions 19a in the receptacle tab 17, as also indicated by finely dotted lines in FIG. 3.

It is now evident that a card bearing reading material on its upper face as suggested by long dotted lines in FIG. 3 may be read with ease through the floor of the coaster because of the transparent. I material thereof. Thus, a coaster made in accordance with the present invention need not be pressed, stamped or otherwise formed withand therefore limited to-any particular ornamentation or reading. With the material of the coaster transparent, or even translucent, any design or reading may be included in the bottom and ends of the coaster by simply inserting a correspondingly-printed card into the corner tabs 17 as described. By being located underneath the coaster the card will be shielded from wet contents therein and retained securely. A coaster is thus had which is of one basic form, yet affords changeable displays of ornamental or informative matter for the attention of its users.

I claim:

1. A coaster for a beverage glass, comprising:

(a) a tray in which the glass may be deposited;

(b) said tray having end portions extended from the bottom thereof;

(0) means carried by said end portions for retaining an informative card beneath the coaster;

(d) said means including corner tabs at a lower level from said end portions to create slits leading from underneath said tray over said tabs;

(e) said corner portions of the card being insertable through the slits for support on said tabs; and

(f) said tabs having right-angled outer rim portions rising as limits for said corner portions.

2. A coaster for a beverage glass, comprising:

(a) a tray in which the glass may be deposited;

(b) said tray having end portions extended from the bottom thereof;

(c) means carried by said end portions for retaining References (Jited by the Examiner an informative card beneath the coaster; (d) said means including corner tabs at a lower level from said end portions to create slits leading from 777305 12/1904 Pnestnan 40 10 underneath said tray over said tabs; 5 v g i (e) said corner portlons of the card being rnsertable 3,017,051 1/1962 eld 215 1O0.5

through the slits for support on said tabs; (f) said tabs having right-angled outer rim portions rising as limits for said corner portions; and CHANCELLOR HARRIS P r lmary Emmmer' (g) said rims extended to join said end portionsfrom 1 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Examiner.

underneath for supporting said tabs. 

1. A COASTER FOR A BEVERAGE GLASS, COMPRISING: (A) A TRAY IN WHICH THE GLASS MAY BE DEPOSITED; (B) SAID TRAY HAVING END PORTIONS EXTENDED FROM THE BOTTOM THEREOF; (C) MEANS CARRIED BY SAID END PORTIONS FOR RETAINING AN INFORMATIVE CARD BENEATH THE COASTER; (D) SAID MEANS INCLUDING CORNER TABS AT A LOWER LEVEL FROM SAID END PORTIONS TO CREATE SLITS LEADING FROM UNDERNEATH SAID TRAY OVER SAID TABS; (E) SAID CORNER PORTIONS OF THE CARD BEING INSERTABLE THROUGH THE SLITS FOR SUPPORT ON SAID TABS; AND (F) SAID TABS HAVING RIGHT-ANGLED OUTER RIM PORTIONS RISING AS LIMITS FOR SAID CORNER PORTIONS. 